What Have They To Fear?
by PlanetOfTheWeepingWillow
Summary: The nations agreed to spend a meeting without arguing. It also happens that on this meeting Japan and England show up sick and pale, Prussia with a sore throat, and Italy on his last nerve. A one-shot.


At first, the nations believed England deserved it. Soon afterwards they felt genuinely worried. The world meeting took place during a frightfully chilly day. England lugged himself inside, his cheeks the color of forest mist and his eyes encircled by dark bags. He sat himself down and lowered his head.

Feeling pity stab his heart, America chose to approach England.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

England cast him a deeply annoyed look over his arm, "No, I'm perfectly fine."

"Christ, I was just asking," America bit his lip. He then recalled why everyone had felt that sniggering was the appropriate response to England's sudden and violent illness. When the rest have gathered, America and his brother Canada noted the complete absence of Norway and Iceland. Japan, too, was unwell. His face was pale and his hands fidgety.

"I told him to take the day off but he insisted," China explained, rolling his eyes at Japan.

England grunted and raised his head, looking considerably older than when he had set it down. He scratched his head, rumpling sandy hair. "What are we supposed to discuss and does it require my participation?"

America flitted through his notes. "Um, says here we have to discuss some economical-" But England had already reburied his head. Japan repeated said action and felt a great weight slide off his shoulders. "Maybe instead we should start by addressing the problem at hand."

"And that would be…?" China turned to him, tapping his fingers on the table. Pale, silvery light poured into the room and caught in his raven hair.

"What's up with the sickness?" America nodded at England and Japan. "Or maybe they know."

Japan shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't felt this bad in _ages_."

England remained silent.

"Any correlation between the affected nations, then?" Canada said barely above a whisper. These past few meetings he had been gathering strength and confidence to speak up during the meetings. It warranted surprising feedback.

China nodded and set his pencil down, aligning it with his paper. "Stop that," he said harshly at Japan who was fidgeting his leg.

"You are just as nervous as I am, stop chewing on your nails, then." Japan mumbled.

China took his thumb nail out from between his teeth and pretended not to have heard. He faced America and Canada again. "I would guess that they all have something… Aren't they all old? Oh that makes no sense, I am older than all of them combined!" He flung a glance at the others.

Russia, who had been silent for the majority of the proceedings took this opportunity to input; "Maybe something is affecting their people?"

"Yes!" Spain smiled brightly, "Like the Black Plague!"

"Don't say that so damn cheerfully," Romano grumbled.

"Hey let's not fight-!" Canada said, "And maybe it is, but I would assume that something even worse is happening to them."

"Oh?" Most perked up. Even Japan raised his head an inch. Though, England kept still.

"Yeah," Canada wet his lips, "I think that it's almost like the life is being drained right out of them."

"So some demon is grabbing them and an exorcism is all we can do?" America scoffed.

"It was just an idea," Canada regretted ever speaking out.

"No, no, I think you are right! Maybe some tea and meditation would do well for them." China suggested and stood.

"Sit back down. I think England already drank an ocean's worth of tea." America said.

"When will you stop with those references?" Canada whispered to himself.

"Never," America whispered back.

Canada couldn't help but chuckle and America patted his back affectionately.

Italy set down his coffee and held it tightly with both hands. Germany, sitting across from him and flanking Austria and Hungary, noticed his tensed expression. He leaned forward; "Is something the matter?"

Italy shook his head and Hungary gently placed her warm fingers on his. "It's okay to speak your mind here, Italy, after all, this is what the meeting is for anyway." She withdrew her touch and Feliciano nodded.

"I think," he said and all at once the clatter on the further end died down, "that we should ask them. We shouldn't try to solve a problem without understanding the victim's point of view."

Germany grinned at him, feeling proud although not quite understanding why.

"Is that why you were so tense?" Austria said, "You usually nap or doodle but you were just sitting there."

"Yes," Feliciano said, "It was bothering me a lot! I guess I should have spoken sooner."

"Alright before this turns into a cheesy rom-com, let's ask the so-called 'victim'." Alfred said, taking off his jacket and fixing his shirt collar. "Well, Britain, Japan, anything to add?"

Japan raised his head and stared at the others, clearly disturbed. "I'll be fine, I don't know about England though."

"Okay stop dancing around the subject, please. I'm so sorry if I sounded rude," Canada quickly added, shrinking into himself. "Uh—um, I meant please be more direct if you can. We aren't sick so we don't understand."

"For the last time, this _is not _a sickness." Japan said.

"What last time? That was the first time you said anything about it!" Romano jabbed a finger across the room.

"I apologize, but I am obviously in no proper condition. I apologize for my rude behavior." Japan bowed his head. "This ailment is causing troubles on my behavior."

"So it's a psychological issue?" Belgium asked sweetly. Her brother at her left hand nodded and muttered something about over-priced psychologists. "Do be quiet."

"Oh bother to you all!" England spat, sitting up and trying to regain his breath. "There's something going on that Japan might only briefly feel in comparison to me—" he paused to release a wretched fit of coughing, "—as I was saying; I feel like I am going to bite the dust as you would say it. But don't get excited I won't. And if I went into a detailed explanation of my malady you wouldn't believe a word of it."

"Who said we wouldn't?" France's eyebrows elevated. "We can have a stretch of imagination, can we not?"

"Oh so little elves screwed your brains up?" Romano said. France glowered at him. "It was the perfect opportunity."

The door opened and a figure ambled in, bent over, lanky, nearly transparent white hair and parchment-like skin. Prussia found a seat directly behind Germany, his sanguine eyes scouring for any sort of rebuts. He leaned forward and whispered something in scratchy German to his brother. Germany responded with an alarmed glance at England.

"What, what do you know?" Hungary whipped around, glaring at Prussia.

Prussia pointed to his throat and shook his head.

"He has a sore throat, so he can't raise his voice much." Germany explained.

"What a nice change." Austria commented.

"Probably from that barbaric barking you call a language," France said.

"Excuse me?" Austria set his coffee down, clearing his voice and preparing a rapier of an insult, but was never allowed to strike with it.

"Stop it," Hungary silenced them, holding out a hand. "We were addressing the problem." She twisted in her seat and laid her gaze on England who patiently sat, seemingly growing older with ever waiting moment. "Go on," She said, patting his hand. Some part of her, buried deep, deep down, told her to care for the poor, ill man, but her fiery other half ignited in fury at such an audacious idea.

England looked at her hand and such sweet petting of his chilled skin bought him courage to say it; "Well, our fantastical side is dying."

"Huh?" America deadpanned.

Hungary continued her caressing of his hand, quite forgetting she was doing it in the first place. France watched her hand with a hint of jealousy.

"The fairies, the naiads, the treefolk, the elves, the spirits of winter and summer and spring, and so forth are dying out." England said.

America laughed and the other chortled in response uneasily. "Dude, that's hilarious. So what's really bothering you?"

"I just _told_ you; or are your ears clogged with your over-intake of fats and sugars?"

"How do you expect us to believe any of those things exist?" France said. Hungary removed her hands and leaned back in her chair, staring pensively at the ceiling.

"You'll have to take my word for it."

"So what? Do you need a big lion to save you or a portal to another dimension?" America continued.

"The Lion you so speak of is in an entirely different situation, I'll have you know. And they aren't portals, you imbecile-"

"Didn't we promise this would be the one meeting we wouldn't fight?" Italy cried.

"Oh I'd pay to see that!" Prussia intervened in a raspy voice. Germany yelled at him in German, presumably to keep quiet.

Russia stood and stretched. "I will be taking a cigarette break, anyone care to join?"

France nodded and followed him out the door towards the balcony. There, they leaned against the walls and watched the snow fall in a sheet cut off by the roof hanging over head. Tiny flakes peppered down, decorating the streets below. Several children screamed at each other and flung snowballs or attempted to make a snowman.

Russia watched their vain attempts and placed a cigarette between his lips. "Poor things, they don't know that the snow is too wet." He lit his cigarette and held out his lighter towards France who followed suit. Both men were still in their coats and were quite warm. The embers glowing close to their mouths didn't chill their spirits either.

"So, this is actually a productive meeting." Russia noted.

"Russia, I've been meaning to ask you something." France said, turning to face the outside world. His nose began turning slightly rosy at the tip.

"Go on?" Russia blew out a cloud of smoke, the blue tendrils curling around his round cheeks.

"Do you… Do you think the others are scared of us?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"I was just asking, it's no big deal if you'll say 'no' or something."

"Yes I think the others don't really like me, but why do you of all people bring it up? You are a personification of love and good food!"

France smiled. "That's quite a compliment coming from you."

"I know, I am big and I can be perceived as scary because of the ridiculous notion that I will kill them. Sure, I can have temper issues sometimes; but who doesn't? I think they have all these feelings about the times they were angry or murderous and channel it at me."

"And everyone thinks I'm some sort of pervert or lewd man prying into everything that has some gonads." France bowed his head. "I feel bad about it."

"You did nothing. Maybe they are jealous that you can find something attractive in everyone. It makes them judge themselves when they see someone and say 'oh they are not pretty!' and so on."

France held his cigarette between his fingers and nodded. "And, just so it's clear, never once would Prussia lift a girl's skirt without her permission. And Spain would never harm anything unless he was forced into it."

Russia shrugged. "I have some bad feelings to him, but I guess I can learn. We should go back in." They snuffed their cigarettes and reentered the room, nodding politely at a young woman carrying in files for another meeting.

"Maybe I wasn't being clear." England said, "I'm not saying the whole fantasy race is dying; I'm saying the folklore is dying! They are a huge part of me and of all of you. Maybe you've all grown used to the pain of losing a huge part of your culture that shaped your society, but we, or at least I, can't handle it. The rumors of werewolves and wizards have dissolved into nothing but dregs, things to feed naughty children and trick them into following the rules."

"Oh," America said. "And then Norway and Iceland have the same problem…?"

"No, they have something to do," Finland piped. His pink, girlish lips were drawn into the sweetest, purest smile many of the nations sitting at that table had seen in a very long time. Something within them melted and they felt at ease with themselves. England put his head back down, worn out and panting.

"Anything else to discuss…?" Hungary asked.

"I don't think so," America said, "Not today, at least, unless you have something you need to say?"

"We could discuss the meaning of life," Romano offered. "Or—or get this—we could find Atlantis and the mystic-"

"That's enough," Italy snarled. Those near him recoiled. Germany gawked in shock.

"Italy?" Spain looked at him, his heart feeling as though it were palpating.

Italy stared to leave the room wordlessly, leaving behind a thick aura. Nobody dared move. He stopped at the door and clutched the handle, hunching up his shoulders. "Why do you guys have to yell at each other every single time? Would it take a life-0r-death scenario for you to realize that you don't have to? Would it take being forced to work together or else someone or something is going to kill you to take a second and understand each other? Can't you listen? What is _wrong _with people? We don't have to fight to stay alive anymore, unless we make this 'real world' a place where we have to." He looked at them, tears standing in his eyes. He slammed the door and exited an exeunt to lower heads.

"Sorry," Romano mumbled, picking at his nails.

"This treaty of not fighting has made you all act really weird," America said, sipping his coffee despite it long having been stale and bitter.

"It's better," Belarus said.

"I think so too," Ukraine consented.

Russia looked at his sisters and was overcome with such a feverous passion for them. Nothing had caused it to erupt but he felt it blossoming within him. He felt grateful for them. They would stand near him without shivering with fear.

Prussia tapped Germany's shoulder and whispered. Germany scrunched his nose when it met foul breath. Regardless he continued to listen.

"Care to carry on the message?" China leaned over once Prussia resumed his seated position.

Germany frowned. "I will. He said being quiet for once wasn't so bad."

* * *

_I do not own Hetalia. _


End file.
